Seahawks Fever

Last night, my beloved Seahawks brought home two well-deserved ESPYs: one for the fiery Richard Sherman and one for the team itself.  Sherman taking home the Breakthrough Athlete award seemed like a no-brainer.  This dude has gone from being a guy scouts regarded as a potential back-up to a Super Bowl Champion who nabbed the cover of the upcoming edition of Madden.  His stellar play and his brash antics have made him a household name, hated by many and loved by the rest.  The club itself scoring Best Team honors was more of a surprise, though they did clobber an offense labelled the best of all time by many in the Super Bowl.  Also: it was a fan vote.  As you already know, the 12th Man is loud and proud.

It was nice to see these honors bestowed upon Seattle, a franchise that has labored in obscurity in the Pacific Northwest for much of its existence.  Upon catapulting themselves to the top of the charts with an epic beatdown of the Broncos in the Super Bowl, the hate has been overwhelming.  Look for any positive article about the team online and the comments sections will be overflowing with animosity directed toward #25 and the bandwagon fans. 

Yes, Sherm can be obnoxious, but I think the same thing every time I see some numbskull making a passionate case for why he's not the best cornerback in the league: if you're a professional athlete and there are multitudes of people expending lots of time and energy talking about why you're NOT the best at what you do, well, you're probably the best at what you do.  That's how it works.  His stats speak for themselves and he has been doing it for a few years now.  Quarterbacks have started to shy away from him, but his video game production has remained consistent.  The same could be said for his chippy demeanor and his bravado.

The bandwagon thing is equally silly; yes, every championship team in this day and age garners bandwagon fans, but people want to act like Seattle has never been known for having a rabid fanbase.  Wind the clock back 30 years and the Kingdome was known as one of the loudest stadiums in professional sports, and that's back when the team could only manage to occasionally flirt with anything other than mediocrity.  There were some downright painful years, to include wasting the immortal Cortez Kennedy on a team saddled with one of the most pathetic offenses ever to take the field.  Yet the fans were there, and there wer people like me cheering them on from the other side of the country.  Take the bandwagon noise and shove it.

Things have changed.  The fanbase was always there, but aside from Steve Largent and his glorious hands, there was little to celebrate.  Now Big Tez and Walter Jones have joined Steve in the Hall of Fame and the Super Bowl champions reside in the Pacific Northwest.  Last night, the champs ruled over the ESPYs and the stage is set for another run at greatness in 2014.  The team has a young roster filled with budding stars, many of whom have been inked to long-term deals.  We have a quarterback on the cusp of greatness, a beast at running back, a receiving corp that is anything but pedestrian, and a defense that made Peyton Manning look totally inept in the biggest game of his career.  It's a great time to be a 12 and it should remain that way for a while.

As Russell Wilson says at the end of every press conference or interview he participates in, "Go Hawks!"

Week 1 Win

It was ugly.  It was hot and humid.  Yet it was a win, and ugly wins are just as good as masterpieces in the NFL.  Kris and I were on hand to watch Seattle beat the Panthers 12 - 7 today, and we had a blast.  I knew the Panthers were tough, and playing at 1 p.m. on the East Coast is kind of like rolling the Seahawks out of bed at 10 a.m. to play some ball, but they got the job done.

I didn't expect Carolina to be able to shut down the run like they did, holding Marshawn Lynch to less than 50 yards on the ground.  I was also a bit worried as the offense was able to move the ball in spurts without getting into the end zone until the 4th quarter.  As with any game where a single score results in a lead change, it was an intense affair, and despite the baseball score it was a good game to watch.

In the end, Russell Wilson got it done, posting a regular season high of 320 yards and hitting 8 different receivers in the process.  That kid is special, and the future is bright for Seattle fans.  I'm glad I have a wife who loves the NFL (and the Seahawks) as much as I do, and I'm glad the team was able to give us a win in Charlotte today.

Go Hawks!

Seahawk Fever

I don't know if it has ever been more exciting to be a fan of the Seattle Seahawks.  Surely there has never been so much hype surrounding Seattle heading into the season.  The Legion of Boom is poised to lay the smack down for one of the best defenses in football.  The coach is cool.  The running back could plow through a brick wall if he so desired, and the quarterback looks totally legit.  Yes, the future is bright.  This isn't a team that is built to win now, either--this is a time that is built to win for a while.

The NFL frequently defies expectations, and as with anything, there are no guarantees.  Regardless, I can't wait for Week 1.  Did I mention that my wife and are I going to be in Charlotte to watch the Panthers get smacked around in 11 days? 

My prediction: Seattle has all the tools.  I think they'll win their division, and they should definitely make the playoffs.  The division crown could go to San Fran, another stellar unit, and I'm not sleeping on any of the teams in the NFC West (remember when they used to call it the NFC Worst?), but this 12th man is stoked.

Go Hawks!

Oh Glorious Sunday!

It's Sunday evening, and even though it got dark way too early I'm sporting a smile thanks to sports.
Yes, I'm a Seattle Seahawks fan, and the Beast and the rook both played well.

Wilson continued his effective rookie campaign by completing 16 out of 24 passes for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions.  He added 27 yards on the ground and was only sacked once.
Marshawn contributed 124 yards on 26 carries with a single score, and he also caught 2 passes for 26 yards.
The Seahawks defeated the Vikings at home to move to 5-4.
After nearly three decades of rooting for Seattle, I've really learned to cherish every victory, so I would be on cloud nine right now anyway, but it gets better.
I've got Doug Martin on my fantasy team.

He's just some rookie who carried the ball 25 times for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns.  He probably scored more points than some of the teams in my league managed this week.  Well, maybe not, but the kid went off and I should certainly win my game as a result.  I'll keep you in the loop.

Now, it's time to settle back, watch a few highlights, and then . . .
The Walking Dead!